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'The sky's the limit' on defense for Cardinals after new additions, says CB Robert Alford

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Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson made some noise recently, saying this version of the team is the best, at least on paper, that he has been on since he entered the league in 2011. Another Cardinals cornerback is optimistic for the type of the season the team can have in 2020.

Robert Alford, who missed all last season with a broken leg, also sees huge potential in the team.

“I feel like the sky’s the limit for us,” he said on a video conference with reporters this week, referring not only to the defense but also the offense, although he was asked about the defense. “We’ve all just got to go out and just compete and bring W’s.”

He is confident in the additions the Cardinals made in the offseason to the defensive front seven, signing defensive lineman Jordan Phillips, linebacker De’Vondre Campbell and linebacker Devon Kennard, as well as drafting linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

“I’m very confident in the front that we have now,” he said. “(Defensive coordinator) Vance (Joseph) and the guys, they have done a great deal this offseason in bringing in the new guys and I feel like they are going to translate and help us out a lot.”

The secondary, though, remains unchanged in terms of personnel. That is helping in the virtual meetings, where he says everyone is on top of the playbook.

“We pretty know what each of us is thinking,” he said.

They haven’t been able to get on the field yet. But if the front seven is better, and it should be, that will help the secondary, who all know their roles better.

That doesn’t guarantee a championship defense, but it does take away the talent barriers they had a year ago.

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The Arizona Cardinals re-signed running back Kenyan Drake this offseason on a one-year transition tag deal, which will pay him almost $8.5 million in 2020. He rushed for 643 yards and eight touchdowns in eight games after being acquired via trade.

Over a 16-game season, that projects to 16 rushing touchdowns, which is the franchise record in a season.

Can he set a franchise record in 2020? Where can he finish season?

Seven players have finished with at least 10 rushing touchdowns. Check them out below.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire's Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red.

The 2020 NFL season could be impacted significantly financially with the possibility of less or no fans in stadiums for at least part of the season, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That could significantly impact the salary cap in 2021, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.

Rapoport reports the league is potentially looking at a drop of at least $40 million in the salary cap in 2021, depending on the revenue that comes in this season.

According to Rapoport, the league wants to avoid this and keep the salary cap flat, at worst. He suggests the league is thinking of potentially...